WINDHOEK—A comprehensive four-day training course on election reporting for Namibian journalists concluded on Friday in Windhoek with a ceremony to award certificates to the participants.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the training was hosted at the Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) headquarters and drew attendance from 42 community radio journalists and nine investigative print journalists from Nampa, The Namibian Newspaper, and Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Modestus Amutse, who inaugurated the event, emphasized the importance of the training for journalists to enhance their ability to inform voters effectively.

During the closing ceremony, Dr. Audrin Mathe, Executive Director in the ICT ministry, challenged the journalists to use their new skills to combat misinformation and ensure accurate reporting, especially with the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for November 27, 2024, and regional and local authority elections in 2025. He stressed the critical role of media in democracy and informed voting decisions.

Participants expressed satisfaction with the course, highlighting its focus on factual and objective reporting. Abigail Nalisa from Eagle FM noted that the training inspired her to focus her future reports on voter needs. The course featured several veteran journalists, including Gwen Lister, Zoe Titus, Naita Hishoono, Frederico Links, Peter Deselaers, and Jata Kazondu, who shared their expertise on effective election coverage.